From Jesus’ Sermon on the Mountain
True and False Teachers
“Beware of false Teachers—men who come to you in the guise of sheep, but at heart they are ravenous wolves. By the fruit of their lives you will know them. Do people gather grapes from thorn-bushes, or figs from thistles? So, too, every sound tree bears good fruit, while a worthless tree bears bad fruit. A sound tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a worthless tree bear good fruit. Every tree that fails to bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Hence it is by the fruit of their lives that you will know such men. Not every one who says to me ‘Master! Master!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven. On that Day many will say to me ‘Master, Master, was not it in your name that we taught, and in your name that we drove out demons, and in your name that we did many miracles?’ And then I shall say to them plainly ‘I never knew you. Go from my presence, you who live in sin.*
The Two Foundations
“Every one, therefore, that listens to this teaching of mine and acts upon it may be compared to a prudent man, who built his house upon the rock. The rain poured down, the rivers rose, the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, for its foundations were upon the rock. And every one that listens to this teaching of mine and does not act upon it may be compared to a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. The rain poured down, the rivers rose, the winds blew and struck against that house, and it fell; and great was its downfall.”
By the time that Jesus had finished speaking, the crowd was filled with amazement at his teaching. For he taught them like one who had authority, and not like their Teachers of the Law.
—Matthew.
The Last Act Crowns the Play
My soul, sit thou a patient looker on;
Judge not the Play before the Play is done:
Her Plot has many changes; Every day
Speaks a new Scene; the last act crowns the Play.
—Francis Quarles.